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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Another three hour trip one way to the place that pulled Hubby away from death's door. I went armed to talk about attitude. The doctor had made a miraculous change of attitude since our hospital stay the beginning of this month. After a little confusion about the front desk having the wrong files we went into test mode.

Body fluid work, pictures of the heart, x-rays, stress tests, oxygen and CO2 tests and other multitude of tests....medicine assessment and pep talks and progress reports. Sticking to that low sodium diet and the new medicine and THE PRAYERS all you good people sent out have paid off wonderfully.

When he was so seriously sick his cardiac refraction rate was less than ten percent (out of one hundred percent). In layman's term I think that's the pump pressure and out put. I never really looked it up. I didn't want to know what it meant, I just wanted it fixed.

After intense fluid reduction and a loss of almost twenty pounds of fluid the congestive heart failure was delayed...still there but immensely improved. From ten percent to thirty percent in less than a month's time! I don't know what you think but that sounds like a miracle to me especially since I had been informed that refraction rate could not improve. His rate was 35 percent and functional two years ago and 25 percent and then downhill to the morgue was where he was headed. I would say a twenty percent improvement is a good sign.

HUBBY DID NOT MAKE THE TRANSPLANT LIST! AS OF TODAY HE IS DEEMED TOO HEALTHY TO BE CONSIDERED AS A POSSIBLE RECIPIENT OF A DONOR HEART. WITH GOOD SENSE, GOOD DIET AND CONTINUING PRAYERS THIS HEART COULD POSSIBLY SUPPLY ALL HIS NEEDS FOR A LONG LIFE.

They have not abandoned him but will keep a close watch on his progress and if there is a downward dip, he can be placed on the list but for now we are celebrating.

We even ate out!!!! The low sodium choice at Subway's was delicious and not dangerous.

The view of the lobby below our office area.

So Praise God and Pass The Biscuits(even if they have too much salt) Thank you all for the healing prayers and your patience with my panic. Neither of us could have survived without your support.

Monday, April 29, 2013

The past partially repeated itself last week. We've had wonderfully generous amounts of rain accompanied by wind, thunder and lightning. Some seemed awfully close as I counted the seconds between the flash and the clap of thunder.

Yesterday preparing to move cattle to greener pastures Hubby "ran" the fence line, not physically but on his Ranger. He returned to the house madder than a wet hen saying someone had cut the fence! Are you sure? I ask. Hubby is one of those who naturally jumps to the worse case scenario and when he solves the problem he is always the hero.

He gathered supplies and returned to repair the hole.

It was not cut! It was fried! This is brand new barbed wire which takes years to change color or be affected in any way by the weather...except for lightning.

Earlier this year I tore up the water garden and life kinda got in the way. Today I was finally able to do some work on it, in it and around it.

I really hate to brag (not really) that it is flip flop weather here. I sweated like a horse. Did not "glisten" like a southern belle is supposed to do. I dripped. I was blinded by the sweat. Sorry y'all that still have snow. Spring is one day closer for all of us.

Here's where I was...

Trying something different this time. The water garden is under two big pecan trees and there is lots of leaf and pecan picking to do. I picked up every rock this time, cleaned around and under them and then put some in containers. Hopefully they will be easier to clean that way. Here is one container and it's rather difficult to see.

I have crystals and small rocks here and there in wire baskets. I'm even trying a orange sack to see how long they last.

This pond is pet friendly. At each corner there are solid rock stairs where pets and people can walk right to the water's edge.

The dogs are pleased with their private bar and swimming pool....and I still have buckets of rocks! Not just plain rocks but rocks from years of collected rocks with something special about every one.

I have much to do before I am through and "miles to go before I sleep."

Friday, April 19, 2013

The innocence of Grape Punch
Died forever that day
Along with many
Who saw with
Blind eyes
Holding the hands
Of their children
Believing this was
The Way
The Truth
The Light
When it was only
A crazy man
With crazy people
Grasping for an excuse
To feel worthy
As they helped
Their children die
For NOTHING

To see stock dogs work is a thing of beauty. Each dog is trained by the one above them. Lil is a head dog, the smaller ones are heelers and movers.

When the strangers arrive Marcy can clap her hands, I yell "Yhaw!" and the team moves like a well-oiled machine. Itty-bitty Lizzy and Squiggy gets them moving, Ki and Junior separate the strangers from our cattle and Lil takes the head.

I've never had the herds completely blended until today. Squiggs (not twelve pounds) cut out our cattle and headed them back to their spot while Junior, Ki and Lizzy curved the strange bunch back out of our pasture. It was simply amazing. I face an oncoming wave of half grown calves. For a second, just a second, I doubted the power of my team. I raised my arm and I pointed. The dogs take our cattle one way and the strange ones are herded the other. As they hit the divide, Lil picks up the chase and takes them totally into their home pasture.

Pure dance and art when they work. A motley crew of Border Collies, a tiny Cairn mix, a Jack/ Rat Terrier, my hot pepper Ki-Anne of unknown origin and her son Junior moved together like a well choreographed Broadway musical.

I am proud of our little pack. All were throw aways except for Lil. They fit perfectly together and make a fantastic irreplaceable farm team. Not only with herding but also on protection and patrol detail.

Between rains I took a short walk and discovered a few treasures the farm had to offer for my pleasure and enjoyment.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Tractor/Lawnmower Man fried his battery charger Tuesday or the battery charger chose to kill itself when faced with all the summer's work ahead. The riding lawn mowers' batteries were dead and had to be brought back to life.

Off first to Home Depot and then to the correct store. We didn't need an air compressor/battery charger nor a six hour battery charger. We simply needed a jump it, start it, get 'er done battery charger thingy.

The correct place just happened to be next to our favorite Chinese Restaurant. Hubby asked, Chinese? Nope! We are forbidden to eat Chinese out...high in sodium. As much as he fusses about my love of Chinese food I really think he was disappointed not to eat out.

Home to jump a battery, mow a little and nap. I'm glad he could do this. Over two weeks ago we were thinking he may never do this again.

Waking from his nap I greeted him with a wonderful plateful of low sodium non-Chinese food. He actually SAID it was good.